1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to holders and storage containers for information carriers, such as disc cartridges and the like. More specifically, the present invention relates to a presentation stand for holding a disc cartridge, and a storage case having the presentation stand on a middle panel thereof for presenting the disc cartridge to the user when the case is opened.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many types of data storage media are well known in the art, including compact discs (CDs), DVDs, floppy discs, and so forth. Additional types of data storage media are scheduled for launch into the market in the near future. Among these new data storage media is the Universal Media Disc (UMD), which is a 60 mm optical media disc accommodated in a disc cartridge. The UMD cartridge has two blind holes on the back (lower shell) that are used for alignment in the UMD player. The present invention was developed to provide a suitable storage case and presentation stand for this new UMD cartridge.
The prior art includes many containers developed for CDs and the like. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,263,642 and 5,971,144 issued to Heiligers discloses a container having a holder on the middle panel of a three-panel clam-shell type container for holding a CD. The holder has clamping elements disposed on each side of a slot for receiving and clamping the outer perimeter edge of the CD. However, Heiligers' container is not designed to accommodate the new UMD cartridge, and particularly does not include a structure that would engage the blind holes on the back of the UMD cartridge.
The prior art also includes many containers developed for floppy discs and the like. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,293,995 issued to Iwaki et al. discloses a holder on the middle panel of a three-panel clam-shell type storage case for holding a floppy disc. Additional floppy discs are held against the inner surfaces of the front and back panels. The holder includes a semi-circular projection on a bottom surface thereof, which is engageable with a similarly shaped recess in the edge of the floppy disc for alignment purposes. The semi-circular projection extends in the direction of insertion of the floppy disc into the holder, and therefore does not aid in the retention of the floppy disc within the holder. Spaced apart ribs also extend into the opening of the holder of Iwaki et al. to define limited zones for frictionally gripping the floppy disc.
Other prior art containers have been developed for holding multiple CDs or floppy discs. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,199,689 issued to Higuchi et al. discloses a container for holding a plurality of floppy discs using cartridge-gripping structures formed on the middle panel of the container. U.S. Pat. No. 5,477,960 issued to Chen and U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,215 issued to Leung disclose storage cases in which multiple CDs can be stored.
While the prior art storage cases described above are presumably suitable for their intended purposes, they do not provide an acceptable structure for use with UMD cartridges and other storage media as contemplated by the present inventors. Thus, there is a need in the industry for an improved disc cartridge storage case.